


Color Me Blue

by ImaShayne, Kurokosou



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Captured, Found Family, Futuristic, Impliedabuse, Lance Mermaid, M/M, Mer!Lance, MerMay, Science Fiction, klance, mermaid au, mermaid bang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:22:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24268888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaShayne/pseuds/ImaShayne, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurokosou/pseuds/Kurokosou
Summary: Keith and his found family; Shiro, Hunk and Pidge have to escape the country Daibazaal, where they've become refugees of war. Each have their own reasons, but their shared need intertwines their lives. In order to fund their plans someone has to take a risk. Shiro and Keith volunteer to conduct a heist from one of Daibazaal's most influential collectors. If they can manage to get their hands on a single item they could purchase the ship and supplies needed.But during their robbery they stumble across something unexpected.***Stolen from his home Lance has suffered the abuse and interrogations of Zarkon for too long. But the eccentric collector wants to learn all there is to know about magic, and he believes that Lance is the key to that power. Now, with the help of his accidental rescuers, he's going to find his way home.
Relationships: Keith & Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 150
Collections: Voltron Mermaid Tales Bang 2020





	Color Me Blue

**Author's Note:**

> I was a pinch hitter for this bang! And I'm glad I was, when Kurokusou's original writer had to drop out I was happy to discover that Kurokusou had an amazing idea like this waiting in the wings! They had the skeleton of this idea just waiting around! Check out their other fics on here, and their art on their tumblr page!
> 
> https://veilofemptyspace.tumblr.com/
> 
> Also a HUGE THANK YOU to QuietBreeze for being the beta for this chapter (and hopefully all others!)

He’d known nothing but pain and loneliness for so long that he’d almost forgotten there was anything else. All his memories; of friends and family, home and hearth, both good and bad, which helped to anchor him and comfort him during the long agonizing hours spent with _that man,_ the tall one with the dark slicked back hair and the cold cruel eyes whose broad shoulders held such a terrible strength, a force he was growing used to across his own hide, now abandoned him. It felt as if all the good that had once been his life went to sustain him during those grueling hours alone with the other, refusing his demands. His prying questions and brutal interrogation techniques. It left him numb when he was finally alone, like there was nothing within him any longer. Only the gnawing remains of the man’s punishment imprinted against his flesh. The only, continual companionship he had.

Not even the kiss of cool water to his broken body gave him relief. These were not the warm waters of home, and felt just as much a binding on him as the tight collar heavy around his neck. Chains that surrounded him. The constant blue light that shone through the tang hurt his eyes and kept sleep from his grasp. A color that had once been everything too him was now torture. Even if he had room to move doing so was unbearable. The aches went so much further into him, deeper than his skin, than his muscles, further than his bones.

He knew he’d never again see his family, his ocean or his reefs.

His hopes had faded to nothing more than a small flickering flame.

***

“You know this is crazy, right?” Keith’s words crystalized in the air the instant they passed his lips as they paused right on the precipice, leaning into the more dangerous side of the boundary wall.

Shiro huffed in such a way that said he’d heard this before, “yes Keith, I’m well aware of it.” perfect puffs of clouds encapsulated his own reply as silver eyes observed the vast mansion looming before them. The strong lines and harsh angles lent itself a foreboding visage, as did the six imposing pillars of marble that seemed to hold up the gabled roof as if it were the sky itself, making the massive deck look more like the bars of a prison than an inviting home. This austere impression grew more daunting with the harsh lights that thrust up from the ground, Illuminating in stark contrast the well kept landscaping.

The two of them had kept to the shadows until this point, and now, paused in their advance, two pairs of eyes watched every movement of the smartly dressed guards, denser now they were closer.

“If _I say it’s crazy_ then it’s…. it’s—”

“Insane?” Shiro supplied, bringing a pair of small, high tech binoculars up to his nose, noting the patterns of every beam of light that flitted through the windows.

“No. _Fucking_ insane!” Keith reiterated, wishing he could raise his voice above the pointed whisper he was currently using.

Shiro released a heavy sigh, which ghosted before him as an after image to his barely contained frustration, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “You seemed fine during the strategic talks—”

“—It seemed _do-able_ then!” Keith hissed, but Shiro spoke right across him without even increasing the decibel at which he spoke.

“And if you had any grievances or worries you should have aired them there.”

The boy snatched the specs from Shiro’s hand and lifted them up. “Shi-it this is impossible.” He groaned, violet eyes flashing back and forth, counting the glorified henchmen. As he handed them back the man inspected himself once more, running through his mental checklist. Despite Keith’s doubts, they were ready for this.

“Yes—you’ve only been—” He hushed suddenly, and Keith followed suit as a pair of sentinels marched by, only once they were well and safely passed, did he continue, “--saying that since we set out. But now’s not the time to back out.”

“I’m not backing out!” Keith snapped. There was a single moment of hesitation before—” Do you really think we can pull this off?”

Shiro turned to look at the younger male, who’s eyes were still trained ahead of them, both determination and apprehension shining within them, brightening them from their usual dark plum into a luminous amethyst, even in the gloom of night. Or perhaps that was the bright spotlights from the estate. The man studied him, trying to find the right encouragement. Keith was not someone who could be waylaid by false platitudes or white lies.

“I think it’s worth it. You’re the one who talked me into this. Remember what you said? That Zarkon is one of the biggest collectors in all of Daibazaal, he has treasures that even the black markets around the world can’t get their hands on…”

Keith rolled his eyes, remembering well enough.

“And—” Shiro prompted, but if the younger man’s tensed shoulders were anything to go by he wasn’t planning on finishing his thought. Shiro bit back yet another heavy exhalation, “you said that if we snitch even the tiniest of these trinkets, it’ll be more than enough to get a ship and supplies to get us all off this continent.”

“That’s not quite how I put it.” Keith mumbled, looking away. “Believe I said ‘the fuck outta this hell hole—‘”

“Language—”

“—And that’s only _if_ we don’t lose our _heads_ for trying to _steal_ from _fucking Zarkon._ ”

Shiro couldn’t help but chuckle, ignoring the other’s continued use of vulgarities. Opting for a slightly different approach. After all, their time for waiting was almost over. The signal could come at any moment.

His voice took on a teasing tone. “Hey come on, where’s that usual cocky kid who once told me that no locked door could keep him out. That could sneak into any vault—”

“Okay okay I get it!” Shiro clapped Keith on the shoulder, louder in the night than he’d meant for it to be. But no guard was alerted to their presence, though both of their bodies had stiffened, ready to move.

‘How perfect would it have been if our cover had already been blown by that, before we’d even left the starting line.’ Keith thought to himself with a grim set to his mouth that could almost be a smirk.

“Nice one!” He rasped out. “Ya know, normally you’re the voice of reason in these situations—feels weird to be on the other end.” Keith took in a single, deep breath, and shrugged. Shiro flashed him one last small smile before schooling his features into a more serious expression as Keith lifted the black bandana over his nose.

“You have the mansion’s schematics from Pidge?” He asked.

“Right here.” The other pulled out a small electronic orb from his pocket. “Though I’m still amazed she even managed to get her hands on this.” He gawked at the device. To Keith, hacking was more like black magic. He solved most of his own problems with his fists.

“Told you that kid’s a genius—”

Keith pressed his thumb into the smooth indentation at the top. A ring of silvered metal _shinked_ quietly from the middle of the sphere and spun, light glowing from within it, nodes twirling, slowly at first, speeding up in swift succession. A green holographic screen appeared, depicting a detailed layout of the multi-leveled colonial chateau they were about to infiltrate.

Keith stared hard, studying the floor plans while Shiro kept his gaze trained on the wards. During their shift change was when the two thieves would be on the move. That was the signal. Since both Hunk and Pidge had strongly advised radio silence after the initial breach, the older male had already memorized the layout. Though, just to remind himself as a final safety review, he flicked his steel gaze over as well. There were various checkpoints and warnings labeled clearly across the map. Color coded to signify things like security cameras and motion sensors, the live guards or the mechanical ones, amongst other things. Two sets of eyes scanned over the plans, re-memorizing the routes and different rooms. Shiro looked away first, but Keith finished soon after, and he pocketed the device, once more securing it next to his blade.

Dark mulberry eyes gazed up at the intimidating structure towering before them. It looked so… _easy_ laid out on a diagram that he could hold in the palm of his hand. Keith closed his eyes. Taking a moment to breathe, able to recreate the map easily enough behind his lids. Concentrating on his body, then the plan and finally…. The goal.

It might be simpler if they had a specific goal though. At this point it really was just ‘grab anything.’

When his amaranthine eyes snapped open Shiro was watching him, waiting patiently before he gave a subtle nod.

“Alright masks up.” Shiro commanded. Both men tapped a button on their collars, malleable energetic plates formed up and around their heads in a geometric dome. These completely hid their faces from the world, but more than simply that. They halted any facial recognition software the billionaire might own. Any tech that could catch a shot of their eyes to try and identify them. 

Even with this Keith still preferred his trusted bandanna. It had been with him through every heist, every escape, and every rescue. The shorter male would never admit any of his superstitions, because he didn’t believe in magic, but this simple square of fabric was his good luck charm.

As they witnessed a brief exchange as the human guards were changed out the men sprinted from the safety of the deep shadows at the base of the boundary wall

With silent steps, they slinked through the darkest umbra at the hour of deepest night, just as the clouds above them began to release the soft falling of snow. They were careful to avoid the mechanical sentries marching across the grounds. Pidge had figured out their seemingly random pattern by reverse coding whatever algorithm ran them, and Hunk had engineered a handy apparatus that, when activated, would send out a kill wave length. But he’d stressed that it would take out all other electronics within a mile radius as well—including their own gear. So it had been agreed that they would only use it in case of an emergency. The two of them could practically hear his voice in each of their heads now. ‘Like, seriously guys, backed into a corner, no other options, life or death crisis!’ 

Finding the abandoned service tunnel into the mansion was the easy part. When they ducked into it the temperature dropped further; what would have been the damp on the concrete walls were now frozen stalactites hanging low around them. Every movement they made reflected a thousand times over in the gloom.

Eventually the tunnel curved upwards, and the steady sound of _drip drip drip_ could be heard between their own labored breathing as the chill was dispersed. The tunnel let out behind a floor to ceiling wine rack in a darkened root cellar.

Getting the timing right to stalk through the halls took more effort and was filled with a death defying adrenaline inducing trial and error. The automated sentinels were easy enough, not just due to their predictability but because of their loud, stomping march that warned Shiro and Keith with plenty of time for them to dodge or hide. Eventually the two of them had been able to figure out the patterns, enough to slip between their preprogrammed steps as they moved through the dimly lit corridors. 

It was the human guards, once more, that posed the largest issue.

One time they were not quick enough. Two men turned the corner ahead of them and, as they swiftly backed up into another hallway they ran into another pair. Before the darkly suited men could draw their guns or shout a warning Keith threw his fist into the man’s windpipe, the second jab swift and devastating enough to knock the hired muscle out. Shiro made quick work of the spare, mechanical arm whirring as it moved. He spun the man around, grappling him into an easy choke hold. 

They dragged the unconscious bodies out of sight in the main hallway. The small window of time they’d had was cut in half with that little stunt. Keith wanted to curse their luck, but Shiro wasback on the move.

Every turn and twist led them even further into the abode, each of them following their mental maps as they crept along on silent feet. For the moment, it seemed they’d gotten lucky as they’d not run into any more hired hands. Ever closer they edged to Zarkon’s fabled vault; his secret collection that few knew of, tucked away deep in the foundations of the dwelling itself.

Shiro paused, hand raised in a silent signal. Keith rocked back on his heels, almost too eager to get moving again.

Something was off.

This hallway didn’t match the map they’d poured over countless times.

There was only a second of hesitation before Keith found himself being pulled by his scruff into one of the numerous rooms; just barely stopping himself from making a noise as the door hissed shut behind them. Both men stilled, not daring to breathe as the heavy measured footfalls of guards marched past the door they’d hidden behind. A collective sigh released once the footsteps faded.

“A little warning would have been nice—” Keith groused, glaring at the other through the mask. He couldn’t see, but _knew_ that Shiro was rolling his eyes.

This surety doubled as the man whispered; “you’re welcome for saving your neck—” Keith rubbed at where his high collar had abraded roughly against his throat as Shiro continued.

“Would it help if I just yell ‘warning’ next time and given away our position?” He jabbed out and finished with a huff, though he might have been about to say more, but shook his head, leaning against the door to listen for any more unexpected company, hoping they were in the clear. The longer they stayed in one place, or just _in this building_ the more stressed he became.

“Uh Shiro—” The unsure tone in Keith’s voice set the man on edge instantly. He spun with muscles tensed, coiled and ready for anything.

The room they’d stumbled into was bathed in a soft luminescent sapphire glow. Unnoticeable at first due to the technology in the masks, but once perceived it was hard to believe they hadn’t right from the start. Faint silhouettes of various objects barely visible as their eyes took time to adjust. He could make out the faint hum of a motor somewhere close. He turned to Shiro, his brow furrowed in thought, wondering if the older man’s expression mirrored his own.

“Keith toss me that map—” Shiro whispered, shaking his head as frustrations began to rush in. They didn’t have time for this! This was supposed to be in and out, right?

Keith unhooked the pouch and pulled the small sphere out, tossing it to Shiro, his own curiosity getting the better of him. He began to step carefully through the shadows, trusting that the older man could figure out a plan without him. 

“Strange, Pidge didn’t mark this room…” Shiro murmured behind him. Keith’s wonderings grew. He wanted to explore this place that had eluded the hacking genius’s reach.

His gloved hand traced over the tall back of an elegant armchair set before a large, oriental partition, and the source or the mysterious blue light seemed to be getting closer, pulsing more brightly by the step. It shone beneath the divider and between the hinges. His fingers slid down the carved wood of the arm rest, through the covering he made out a small divot at the base… a button. Though Keith knew better he pressed it down, bracing himself for whatever might happen.

With a soft, rhythmic _clack clacking_ the screen folded itself back. The azure beam intensified.

Keith’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes grew wide behind the shadowed glass of the mask at the sight that was revealed, as if a curtain had pulled back. His fingers tapped against the release button upon his collar swiftly. As if the thin screen before his eyes was creating this illusion. But nothing changed and he barely bit back a gasp. The tang of salt was upon his tongue.

“Holy shit…” His voice was a whisper as the sky-blue light danced in his violet eyes. Behind him he could hear Shiro’s cautious steps weaving through the dim room with practiced ease.

“Keith what did you find? Put your mask back up! Why wou-“ His voice, which had turned from a careful murmur pitched with just the hint of his own growing panic as all of their carefully laid plans began to unravel, to a disapproving hiss halted as his shoulders came into line with Keith’s.

The source of the beautiful aegean light that set an other-worldly tone across the room more fully now that it was revealed was a large, cylindrical tank of water. It stood taller than Shiro, probably taller than Zarkon himself by Keith’s estimate. The intensity of the hue that bathed them became clear, as bright bulbs set into both the top, and the base of the container. Perhaps these were to warm the water… or more likely to showcase the ethereal creature suspended therein. 

Spurts of bubbles rose in the water like little falling stars in reverse, surrounding the slender figure that floated listless. It…. They… he? Curled in on themselves, arms that looked just like Keith’s, or Shiro’s or Hunk’s or Pidge’s, were wrapped tightly around the bare, just as human torso. There were marks upon his flesh. Straight edged lines that traversed over a tanned back. He followed these lines downward, until a slow, idle motion caught his gaze. Mulberry eyes swept in disbelief over the large, defined tale, silvered flesh as smooth as satin and glittering hypnotically under the glare of the lights. Fins fanned out from this, tattered in some places. They fluttered slowly as a curtain in the regulated current of the water. No other details could be made out, though Keith wanted to see more, for this creature to turn around. Maybe then his eyes would see the truth, or it would verify the impossibility of what was before him.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing.” The words had already left Keith’s mouth, voice no longer held in a cautious whisper. After all, why play it safe if he were dreaming. That’s what was obviously going on…. Wasn’t it? His voice held a dualed sense of both shock and wonder.

Shiro snapped out of his daze more quickly than Keith, and reached out to touch the younger on the shoulder, unsure of so many things, save for one.

“Keith… we’re running out of time…”

The boy didn’t listen, brushing off this hand as he took a few cautious steps towards the tank. It felt like any wrong move could shatter this delusion and wake him. Shiro hissed for him to come back, but this demand fell on deaf ears. Keith only paused for the duration of a single, fluttering heart beat when he noticed a subtle twitch from the fins of the side of the creature’s head, stopping just a foot short. With breath held Keith slowly raised his hand, pressing his palm against the glass that separated him and this…. This…

_Mermaid.  
  
_


End file.
